Celgene established a collaboration with IMIDomics centered on access to the Spanish firm's clinical and molecular immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) database to help identify new targets and biomarkers, support drug and companion diagnostic development, and help stratify patients for clinical trials. No financial details were disclosed, except to note that IMIDomics will receive project funding and potential royalties on products resulting from the collaboration.

“IMIDomics’ database provides a powerful window into the clinical and molecular underpinnings of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases,” said Douglas E. Bassett, Ph.D., vp informatics and knowledge utilization at Celgene. “This collaboration has exciting potential to impact our ongoing efforts to innovate breakthrough therapies for unmet medical needs in this space, and we’re enthusiastic to team up with IMIDomics to unlock the full potential of this resource for patient benefit.”

IMIDomics is a spinout from the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR) at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital Campus in Barcelona. The firm is combining what it claims is one of the largest IMID biobanks with clinical expertise and high-throughput genomic and genetic analysis to identify and develop biomarkers and targets for IMID monitoring and treatment. The organization’s focus is on rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Celgene’s oral phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) inhibitor Otezla® (apremilast) is approved in the U.S., Europe, and, most recently, Japan (December 2016) for treating plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis. Global sales of the drug topped $1 billion in 2016, an increase of 116% year-on-year. Q4 sales of Otezla were $305 million, up 67%. The drug is also in mid-late-stage clinical development for indications, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Celgene’s inflammatory diseases pipeline includes: CC-220, which is in Phase II development for treating SLE; ozanimod, which is in mid- and late-stage clinical development for indications including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease; and GED-0301 (mongersen), also in mid- and late-stage development for the ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease indications.

The firm recently stated that data from the Phase III REVOLVE and DEFINE registrational trials with GED-0301 in patients with active Crohn’s disease are due to report in 2018. The Phase III TRUE NORTH registrational trial evaluating ozanimod in patients with ulcerative colitis is also due to report in 2018. Data from separate proof-of-concept Phase II studies evaluating GED-0301 in ulcerative colitis  and ozanimod in Crohn’s disease are expected this year.

 

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